


In the Land of Star Bears

by im_the_king_of_the_ocean



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alien Planet, Asexual Character, Canon Lesbian Relationship, Ficlet Collection, Multi, Queerplatonic Relationships, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Tumblr Ask Box Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-25
Updated: 2019-06-25
Packaged: 2020-05-19 14:20:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19358749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/im_the_king_of_the_ocean/pseuds/im_the_king_of_the_ocean
Summary: Stories collected from the Land of Star Bears, an unusual place consisting of quirky city-states on a planet far, far away.





	1. Defining Love

There were two truths Ursula McKracken knew, despite their inherent contradictions with each other.The first; she was a deeply romantic person.The second; she could not bear to imagine her life without Sofia in it.

Ursula had—had _tried_ that is.She had tried so hard, _so hard_ , to live a Sofia-less life.And she, well, she wouldn’t be here if she’d succeeded, now would she?

She runs a finger around the rim of her teacup.She always loved these cups.The way one fit in the palm of her hand like it belonged there.The delicately painted bluebells on its outside.The way the tea the cups held always tasted good to her despite the flavors being different each time.The way they _belonged_ together.

Even when they didn’t.

It was simple, really.Ursula knew how she felt about Sofia.Knew what she wanted Sofia to be in her life.The specific _role_ she wanted the librarian to fill.

Sofia just.No.She didn’t feel the same way back.She cared about Ursula, yes.Quite deeply too.She would do anything for Ursula.Share her deepest, most carefully held secret with Ursula just so she could take her to dance among the stars.Look at Ursula with a contented smile she gave to _no one else_.

Sofia loved Ursula.Just. _Not_ romantically.

Once upon a time, Ursula realized how she felt about Sofia.She realized their closeness may mean there’s a _chance_.She gathered the courage to reveal how she felt.She would never really admit to how much that specific rejection hurt.

After all, it wasn’t a true rejection.Sofia cared for her.She just personally wasn’t interested in _romance_.And it wasn’t a specific-to-Ursula thing.It was a general thing.

Once upon a time, Sofia had tried romance and found it wasn’t for her.It didn’t make her happy.If she were to be completely honest, she was only truly happy when she let the pre-conceived notion that she had to have it go.

Sofia rejected Ursula not for lack of caring, but for the acknowledgement that she herself couldn’t give Ursula what Ursula most deeply desired and for her own desire to see Ursula happy.

They remained close friends.

Ursula went on to pursue other partners.

Yet, none were the same.

In her mind, Ursula held a fantasy of a perfect romance full of wondrous dates and fluttery love.

It wasn’t that she didn’t _care_ for her dates and, the few times things went that far, her girlfriends.But none of them really made her feel that _spark_.The rush of joy, that excitement in her gut, when she knew she’d be seeing them soon and they’d be spending time together.The feeling she got whenever she knew she and Sofia planned to spend an evening together.

It didn’t really matter what she and Sofia did either.Whether that be spending a night in, cuddled up under blankets on the couch, reading old tomes (or the latest of Phoenix and Matthew’s outlandish plays).Or going out on an hours-long hike to the crash site of an small, ancient, freighter-class starship that Sofia had been repairing just so she could take Ursula up to meet the stars (and admit she was over six hundred years old and from a completely different planet in - though technically the age thing was because Sofia had gotten stuck in a cryogenics pod for most of her centuries).

Anyway, regardless, whenever they were together, Ursula felt like she was having the best time of her life.

“I cannot offer you romance.”Across the couch, Sofia sips her tea from a cup identical to the one Ursula’s holding.“I know you know that.”

“I do.”Ursula looks down and plays with the fringe of her blanket.There was a feeling in her chest, but no words to describe them.“I just…”

“Ursula.”The way Sofia says her name sends a myriad of emotions through Ursula.Within the simple utterance there is love.There is compassion.There is heartbreak.

“Please,” Sofia goes on.“It could never work.I want you to be happy and I can’t offer you that.I’ve thought and considered and—”

“I don’t want you to change.”Ursula interrupts her quickly.“Or pretend you’re something you’re not, just for me.That’s—the thought of that—it’s absolutely _horrid_.”Ursula bites her lip.“I didn’t bring this up tonight to ask you for a romance.I’ve realized something.”She looks at Sofia, expecting a response.None comes but for a patient blink of the most enchanting brown eyes Ursula has ever seen.Ursula sips her tea for courage and continues.“I brought it up because I…” she hesitates.“There’s something I want more than romance.”She gazes at Sofia.“And I’m willing to give up the reality of that fantasy for it.”She looks down at her tea.“Because that’s truly all it was in the end, a fantasy.”

“Ursula—”

“No.No, you listen to me and you listen good.I’ve spent my whole life thinking I want romance and, alright, I still kind of do.I mean, honestly, I’m not going to stop checking absolutely tantalizing novels out from _that_ section of the library.But, my life is never going to be like one of those books.I’m probably never going to be swept off my feet.”Ursula manages to smirk.“Unless there’s another wily thunderstorm that feels like snatching a lightning witch, but that’s not the point.”She smoothes the skirt of her dress.“I can always have fantasy.The thing is, I think I’ve found love.Sure, it may not look like what I always dreamed it would be, but I’d rather have it than continue chasing something that may not even exist.”

“So, what are you saying?”There’s a pensive expression on Sofia’s face.

“I would never ask you to be together with me romantically,” Ursula responds.“But I was wondering—” Hoping, desperately hoping.“—if you’d be interested in finding a different way we could be together?Something that we define ourselves.Something that works for us.”

Sofia sighs, but it’s not a defeated sigh.“Where would we even begin?”

“Honestly?I have no idea.”Ursula chuckles.“But, if we try it, we could have no idea together?I like being with you like I do no one else.”

Sofia offers a half-smile.“The same, I suppose, could be said about me regarding you.”She puts a hand atop Ursula’s.

Ursula’s heart pounds.She’s scared, so scared of the uncertainty of their future.But, she’s excited too.Their future will be theirs to write together.She looks back at Sofia’s face, opens her mouth to speak, realizes her mind’s gone blank, and impulsively yanks her blanket up over her head.

A second later, Sofia pulls it back down.She regards Ursula with a quirked eyebrow.“You’re hiding under the blanket…because you’re blushing?”The inquiry is incredulous.The silent statement accompanying it; a reminder that Ursula has done much, much more embarrassing things in Sofia’s presence.

“I…panicked?” Ursula quickly gulps some of her tea down.

Sofia chuckles to herself.“There is only one real solution here, then.”She stands and holds out a hand to Ursula.“Come along, I’ll make us some cocoa.”


	2. Waiting

To say Shifra is royally distracted would be an understatement.Though, she supposes, everything she does, in one way or another, is royal, given the whole ‘queen’ thing.

Regardless, Shifra can’t focus on what is supposed to be an easy task; writing a letter.A response to a letter she’s received.One she’d been looking forward to, even.A letter that she hopes means an old friend of hers from up north will finally come down for a visit.

Shifra glares at the parchment on her desk, as if its to blame for her current woes (which it isn’t, not really).The _letter_ isn’t the matter.She knows she can handle it.

The matter is, well, the matter is that _someone_ is late.Later than usual.Not that they ever truly agreed upon a specific time for their meetings.But still.

Sparrow always, _always_ returns to her around the same time each evening.Shifra has long since begun to expect her consort’s appearance in the hour just before the sun starts to set.And _worry_ when it isn’t so.

Shifra understands that Sparrow, as a siren, belongs to the sea more than she does herself.She understands that Sparrow needs to spend most of each day beneath the waves, otherwise she’ll dry out and fall ill.She understands Sparrow will always come back because _she promised she always would_.

Yet, Shifra can’t help but worry.

Or, rather, the small part of her that remains a child eternally waiting for the ship that will return her parents _fears_.

In her darker moments, Shifra wonders if its some cruel, cosmic joke that she should fall in love with a daughter of the sea when the sea already stole so much from her (she doesn’t quite believe her Uncle Mordecai’s theory on the sea bringing her and Sparrow together as a way to make up for the tragedy it was responsible for all those years ago).

Shifra turns her thoughts back to the letter before her and her empty parchment where its reply will eventually be written.Such thoughts won’t do.As queen, she has business to attend to.Sparrow will come back.Or she won’t.It’s hardly suitable to sit here doing nothing but ruminating until either of those things happen.

Shifra sighs.She picks up her pen, dips it in ink, and begins to draft her response.

She fails to notice when her study door opens.

She does, however, notice the distinctive smell of deep sea fish that always accompanies a specific siren when she walks upon the land.

Shifra looks up.She smiles.


End file.
